Kalpa misses India’s first voter & its poll star

Subhash Rajta

Shimla, May 31

When Kalpa goes to vote tomorrow, the village will miss Shyam Saran Negi, who voted in every election in the Independent India since 1951. Negi died at the age 106 in November 2022.

In the absence of arguably the country’s most committed and talked-about voter, the usual festive atmosphere that his native place witnessed on the election day will be missing this time.

“The administration used to roll out a red carpet at the polling booth to welcome him, where either the Deputy Commissioner or SDM would receive him. On the way, locals would line-up and play traditional musical instruments in his honour. Now that he’s no more, this festive atmosphere will be missing tomorrow,” said Rajesh Kumar, up-pradhan of Kalpa gram panchayat and the maternal grandson of Negi.

On the eve of the election, the people of the area miss Negi — who never failed to cast his vote — more than ever. “People know about us and our small place throughout the country because of him. Everything revolved around him at the time of election. We used to get calls from the administration and even from the central officials, who would enquire about his health,” said panchayat pradhan Sarita Negi.

Negi’s popularity was not limited to his area or the state. “Several tourists would show up at the polling booth just to see him cast his vote. Many would even visit him at home. He was open to meeting people and loved talking to them about his passion for exercising his franchise,” said Rajesh Kumar.

Such was his commitment to exercise his right to vote that he did not even skip the 2022 Assembly election, when his health had deteriorated a lot.

“Just two days before his death, he cast his vote through a postal ballot. Negi had planned to cast his vote at the polling booth, but realising that he might not survive till the polling day he called up the SDM and an arrangement was made to cast his vote through a postal ballot,” said Rajesh Kumar.

Sarita Negi and Kumar are aware of the expectations people have from the residents of Kalpa when it comes to participating in the election. “Even in death, Negi continues to inspire us to come out and vote in large numbers. A lot of people are away for their studies and jobs, but we will try to ensure everyone is present here to cast vote on June 1. We will have a better voter turnout than the last election,” said Kumar.